CLEVELAND — Cleveland City Council has officially voted to ban the practice of conversion therapy for children in the community.
Legislators on Monday unanimously passed a resolution that makes it illegal for any mental health professionals working within city limits to take part "in sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression change efforts with a minor, without regard to whether the mental health professional is compensated or receives any form of remuneration for his or her services." The measure was originally sponsored by Councilman Brian Mooney, but he was later joined by eight of his colleagues, including Council President Blaine Griffin.
Conversion therapy has most often been used against members of the LGBTQ+ community as part of efforts to "change" their sexual inclinations. It has been widely condemned as harmful by health professionals and blasted as being pseudoscientific, and the ordinance notes the American Psychological Association has twice passed resolutions discouraging parents from using it on their own kids.
In the U.S., 20 states and the District of Columbia have banned conversion therapy for at least minors, but it remains legal in Ohio. However, nine municipalities across the state have outlawed the practice, including Cleveland Heights, Kent, and Lakewood.
The legislation will be enacted once Mayor Justin M. Bibb signs it at a later date. Exact criminal penalties for potential violators have not yet been specified.
